In our last episode. we learned about Mia Farrow’s transition from Catholic school girl to wife of Frank Sinatra, and her breakout role in Rosemary’s Baby, which cost her her first marriage. This episode, while continuing the story of Mia Farrow’s life and career in the 1960s, is a little different. We’ll trace Mia’s flight to India, her time studying transcendental meditation with the Beatles, and the production of two of her most interesting movies, Secret Ceremony and John and Mary. It was whilst shooting the latter film that Mia fell in love with Andre Previn, who was married at the time to lyricist DoryPrevin — whose story will guide the second half of this episode. A schizophrenic pill addict who was afraid to fly, DoryPrevin tried, and failed, to fly to London to stop her husband from leaving her for Mia. Instead, Dory wrote a song about it — and touched off a new career as a groundbreaking autobiographical singer-songwriter.

If you haven’t listened to part one of this episode, please do! All of the sources used last time were relevant this time, but this episode is heavily indebted to DoryPrevin’s two autobiographies, Midnight Baby (the super crazy, jazz poetry version of her bad childhood), and Bog-trotter (the much more lucid account of her adult life, with lyrics). Both are out of print, but if you can find them used, they’re great, particularly Bog-trotter. Also, any of Dory’s music that you can get your hands on is incredibly worthy. In addition, this episode references the following articles:

Welcome to the second episode of You Must Remember This, the podcast devoted to exploring the secret and or/forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. Today, we look back to 1979, when — while the music world was full of punk and post-disco coke rock, and the movie world was making the transition from the “New Hollywood” of the ’70s into the blockbuster age — Frank Sinatra recorded Trilogy: Past, Present and Future, a triple album with one disc each devoted to big band standards (“The Past”); covers from “the rock era” including Billy Joel and Beatles songs and also “Theme from New York, New York” (“The Present”); and, most amazingly, a 40 minute song cycle about life, love, death and visiting outer space (“The Future”). We’ll take a look at how and why “The Future” was made, and theorize as to why it’s fallen into the dustbin of pop cultural history.

Show Notes

Songs

Tracks from Trilogy: Past, Present and Future, performed by Frank Sinatra:

“Let’s Face The Music and Dance”

“Theme from New York New York”

“Something”

“What Time Does the Next Miracle Leave?”

“World War None!”

“The Future”

“The Future (Continued)”

“The Future (Conclusion)”

“Before the Music Ends”

“Can’t Get Started” performed by Frank Sinatra, from the album No One Cares

“Come Rain or Come Shine” performed by Frank Sinatra, from the album Sinatra and Strings

“New York is My Home” composed by Gordon Jenkins, from Manhattan Tower